Category: Blog
Exclusive Guest Blog Post, “How Yoga and Pilates Help Body Alignment,” By Kristin McGee I discovered yoga and Pilates when I first moved to New York City in the early 1990s. I was always an active child growing up in Idaho, playing tennis, skiing, hiking, and dancing, but it wasn’t until I started practicing yoga and Pilates that I connected to my body in an entirely new way. Whether we are active or sedentary, chances are we aren’t fully aware of how we are using our body. From office workers to pro athletes, I’ve had all sorts of clients come …
Can you guess what sport causes the most injuries in young women? The answer may surprise you: it’s cheerleading, specifically the competitive side of the sport — which has accounted for more than 70 percent of catastrophic injuries in women’s college sports over the past 20 years. According to the Orthopedics Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado, the most common cheerleading injuries in young women are: Strains and sprains of the neck, lower back, knee, and wrist Back injuries, including pain and stress fractures to the vertebra Concussions and other head injuries Cheerleading, though considered a competitive sport by colleges and …
How to Prevent Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a common condition, especially in Caucasian women over age 50, in which bones become fragile and can break. What happens is the bone loses density, meaning calcium and mineral levels are lower than normal, weakening the bone. This disease is quite common in elderly people. While there are no symptoms as it develops, osteoporosis can have significant effects on the spine if the vertebra start to break. The most common fractures as a result of osteoporosis are of the wrist, shoulder, hip and spine; people with osteoporosis most often break bones in the upper …
It’s that time of the year again! The start of September marks both the end of the summer season and the beginning of the school year for young adults and children. The first thing on the back-to-school supply list: the backpack! According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, over 79 million students in the US use a backpack daily. And each new grade means more books and heavier bags. Backpack safety is an important issue all parents should take into account as their children embark on another school year. Photo Credit: WellCommons.com, http://wellcommons.com/groups/hy-vee/2011/aug/3/back-to-school-backpack-safety-check/ The back is made up of some …
I have a lot of patients who play professional and amateur tennis, and in my personal time, I enjoy playing and watching matches with friends and family. The US Open Tennis Championships are in full swing and athletes from all over the world have come to Flushing Meadows, Queens to participate in one of the sport’s biggest competitions. Unfortunately, some of the tennis stars have had to withdraw due to injury. Slated to be the No. 3 seed, Maria Sharapova released a statement on her official site on August 21 announcing that she is withdrawing from the US Open due …
Tiger Woods was in his final round at The Barclays, undoubtedly within distance of the lead, when he dropped in pain to the green. The moment of gripping pain followed his second shot on the par-5 13th, and onlookers wondered if he would even be able to finish the back nine. The pro-golfer gingerly finished The Barclays, resulting in a tie for second place. Whether Tiger could have forced a play-off without his lowerback pain (LBP) is a question unknown, but he will not risk further injury by playing a previously scheduled philanthropic golf event before the second round of …
This is the first introductory video in an upcoming series that discusses spine health and the implications of various injuries and treatments, including surgery. Here, I discuss my background, residency and current position within the field of surgery. Thank you for watching, and to see the full series and stay updated on the latest health tips, please follow my practice on Facebook: www.facebook.com/McCanceMD
There is a warning label on the Riddell sports website, the nation’s largest manufacturer of football helmets, and official supplier to the NFL that reads; No helmet can prevent serious head or neck injuries a player might receive while participating in football. Do not use this helmet to butt, ram or spear an opposing player. This is in violation of the football rules and such use can result in severe head or neck injuries, paralysis and death to you and possible injury to an opponent. There is no sugar coating here. Football is a contact sport, and the number of …
You may be familiar with the term “Tennis Elbow,” but have you ever heard of ailments like “Blackberry Thumb” or “Text Neck”? Digital devices no doubt improve our ability to communicate and pass information, but there are also some negative effects to be wary of. Text Neck, as it is commonly referred to, is one of the most recent tech-related maladies to gain notoriety. It refers to the headaches, arm, shoulder, and neck pains that occur when one spends too much time in the common posture for using cell phones, tablets and e-readers. To show just how prevalent this term is becoming, an …
How to Strengthen Your Back with Pilates: Pilates is one of the best exercises around for improving back pain and posture. Firstly, the exercises strongly emphasize a focus on spinal and pelvic alignment. Additionally, they target core muscles in the body that can work together to alleviate back pain and provide strength to effectively create a “brace” for preventing future back pain. The essential components of Pilates are concentration, control, centering of the body, efficiency of movement, precision, and breathing. It’s pretty easy to see how, if done properly, all of these can come together to have a positive impact for …
